Snowballs and Smiles
by Adamalove777
Summary: My contribution for the Cobert Christmas Exchange. My word was nostomania and my picture was a snowball fight. Set in the first year of Robert and Cora's marriage. Happy Holidays everyone!


Cora Crawley woke up to the smell of evergreen. It was a distinct smell, so recognizable to her, a memory of so many childhood Christmases. The sound of a great many voices wafted through the air, and Cora heard the foreboding chill of her mother-in-laws voice through the commotion coming from the floor below her. She got up quietly and looked down the stairs to see quite a sight. There stood in the middle of the great hall,a gigantic Christmas tree. The Countess of Grantham stood, hands upon her hips, barking orders at the men putting the tree up.

"Honestly! Are you all incapable of putting a tree up and still leaving the needles ON the tree?!"

Cora bit her bottom lip, suppressing a laugh at the way her father-in- law, who had just entered the room, rolled his eyes.

"Now dear," he placated gently, " these poor men were very kind to come so very early to have the tree put up. They are trying their very best I'm sure."

" That may be Patrick, but I might find their work ethic more admirable if perhaps my whole hall were not littered in pine needles!"

Suddenly, a man from the tree service piped up. "My Lady, we will be sure to leave the place exactly as we found it-save the tree".

The Countess looked him over and merely said "see that you do" before announcing she had forgotten something vital upstairs. Her husband smiled sheepishly at the tree service men and told his wife he would wait for her.

Cora, realizing her hiding spot was about to be compromised as her mother in law ascended the steps,quickly disappeared back into her room. As she sat on her bed she realized that Christmas was only a few weeks away now. Rosamund was arriving soon with her beau Marmaduke and there would soon be a flurry of guests descending upon the house. She wondered how her parents would be setting up for their holiday. She wondered if Harold had a new girl and if he would be bringing her around for the annual Christmas parties, purely to spite their mother( as this was usually his early present to himself).

Suddenly she realized that this Christmas she would see none of it. Her father drinking with his old business associates, her mother's comments on their wives dresses, or even the decorations laid upon the table. She wouldn't be there. She would be here with her mother-in-law who would make constant digs about her Americanness, with her sister-in-law who was quite fun but would be far too caught up in her romance to be much company, and with her husband who she loved-but who felt "great affection" for her in return. She had no idea what she had done wrong. While she had known she and Robert were not marrying for love, she had hoped her love might one day see his as well. Yet even with their growing closeness and understanding, he still had never proclaimed anything more than admiration or affection. But this is not what she needed in a husband. She needed more than an ally. She needed love.

Especially when she loved him so. He could be completely unfathomably traditional and stubborn but even then-she loved him. She wished for a world where he might feel the same for her.

"Cora?" Robert said bursting through the door that separated her bedroom and his dressing room.

Cora looked up, confused with Robert's tone.

"Oh my lord Cora!" Robert exclaimed at seeing her upon the bed.

"Yes? Why are you shouting Robert?" Cora asked, her confusion growing.

" I thought I told you we have to go pick up Rosamund from the train station! She will be here early so she will have time with the family before Mr. Painswick comes. Why aren't you dressed?" Robert cried, rushing over to ring the bell for her maid.

" Robert you never uttered one word to me about anything of the sort!" Cora exclaimed with indignation.

"Golly Robert." Cora sighed at Robert rang repeatedly for the maid as if ringing it would somehow make the two flights the maid had to travel go faster. "What a way to say hello this morning! I'm sure she is coming as quickly as possibly. She probably thinks there is some emergency the way you are tugging on that bell."

Robert, as if suddenly realizing his actions, immediately stopped ringing the bell. " I'm sorry Cora. I just don't want another thing for Mamma to be able to harp on you about darling. I'm sorry I reacted this way. I-"

The door opened and Cora's maid stepped through breathless. "M'Lady are you alright?" She questioned, in between gulps of air.

She looked at Robert, first noticing his presence in the room and her eyes grew wide. She looked at Cora and then Robert and back to Cora. She had never known the young Viscount to be violent.

Cora, realizing what the girl was thinking, let out a giggle of surprise. "Oh! I am fine! You needn't worry. My husband neglected to tell me of my sister-in-laws impending arrival and we need to be at the train station right away. Could you dress me quickly? Cora asked, trying to make the girl stop eyeing Robert with fear.

Robert looked more confused than ever at the young girl's fearful eyes as she once again looked him over before answering " of course m'lady".

Cora cleared her throat as Robert continued to stand in the middle of her room dumbfounded.

" Oh right…um then I'll see you downstairs. ". Robert said quickly as he made he made his way towards the door.

Cora merely sighed at her husband and wondered how often they would continue to confuse one another.

A little while later she and Robert were alone in the carriage together.

" Cora, would you mind telling me why that maid of yours was looking at me so very fearfully this morning? I haven't done anything to frighten you have I? I wouldn't blame you for your confidence in these matters to her, although I do wish you would have just confided in me instead."

Robert finished softly, his eyes flitting away for just a second, showing his worry at her next words.

Cora looked at him in amazement. How the man could be so discerning, as if seeing her to her very bones sometimes and others be so blind was an astonishment to her.

" Oh darling. Of course you haven't frightened me. I would tell you honestly if I were. No, you have been nothing but kind to me." She answered honestly, her hand reaching for his across the seat.

Visible relief washed over his face. "That makes me very glad to hear. I should hate to ever do so. But then why? Why did she stare at me so?"

Cora shook her head. " When you rang so heartily on the bell this morning, she thought it was me. Then she saw you in my room and concluded that must be what I was calling over. She thought you had been violent towards me" Cora said, shaking her head once more at the girls wild imagination. Robert may hurt her emotionally,though even that she conceded was accidental, but he would never harm her physically. Quite the opposite.

"Oh my! Cora, I do hope you put her mind at ease. What must the staff think of me?"

" Of course I did!" Cora asserted quickly." And the staff think you are a great man and will one day make a wonderful earl. I've seen the way they respect you. Especially that new Butler Carson. They know you aren't that type of man. "

Robert sat back mollified. " I should only hope to live up to their expectations one day. I am glad, for I hope they can see I adore you". Robert added, just as the carriage stopped at the station.

Cora, smiled back at him and squeezed his hand,but inside there was a lump in her throat forming. There is was again. That word. "Adore". She supposed that was all she would ever really get.

As they made their way home, having picked up Rosamund at the perfect time, Cora spoke very little. Luckily Rosamund was able to pick up the conversation and chattered animatedly about her life in London and the dashing Mr. Painswick. Robert voiced his concerns over their mother mentioning his being a banker too often but Rosamund merely laughed it off, saying he had thick skin. She had forewarned him about Mama.

As they arrived at Downton Cora feigned needing to get some headache powder and made her way to her room. Once there she let out a great sob. Hearing Rosamund talk about her great romance made her long for the very same thing with the man who sat next to her in the carriage. But he didn't love her. He may come to her room at night and make love to her, but he didn't love her. He may ask her opinion on matters but he didn't love her. Here she was thousands of miles from home and she didn't have one person who would tell her she was loved on Christmas. She had never felt more lonely in her life.

Meanwhile,Downstairs in the library Robert thought about Cora. She had been so very quiet on the way home. Her eyes had seemed so sad as she listened to Rosamund talk about her beau. Perhaps she regretted being here for the holidays? Robert didn't think he could stand it if she was unhappy. He loved her smile, her joyful countenance. He loved her. Of course, he had never told her, but none the less, he loved her. He would tell her soon of course, but every time he meant to say it, he felt it wasn't the right moment. He had thought about it last time he shared her bed, a mere two nights ago and woke up with her in his arms-but he felt it might cheapen it. That she might believe he was saying it out of lust. But she did seem unhappy today. Perhaps they could take a walk together and it would cheer her up.

Cora had stopped crying and was at her vanity fixing her makeup. She had ruined it with tears and she was sure Robert would notice. He always noticed little things about her. She bit her lip and pushed the thought away. It wouldn't do to ruin her make-up again. Her musings were interrupted with a knock upon her door.

"Come in" she replied as she checked her face one last time for any smears.

Robert stood in the doorway, looking handsome in his winter wear.

His face fell when he saw hers. He crossed the room and took her face in his hands.

" Cora, love, what's the matter? You've been crying?"

Love. He could call her it but never say it. She bit her lip once more and sighed.

"Nothing is the matter Robert. It was merely some pain from my headache. It is gone now."

Robert searched her eyes and sighed.

"Well if you are sure…" He acquiesced.

Cora smiled. "I am. You seem awfully dressed up. Where are you off to?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

At this Robert grinned. She loved it when he did that.

"I was wondering if you would accompany me on a walk…if you're feeling up to it?"

"I'd love to" she replied, kicking herself for almost ruining what could be a perfectly good afternoon by ruminating on things that were never going to be.

Later as they walked along the side of the pond, Cora remembered something from her childhood.

" Robert, did you and Rosamund ever have snowball fights?"

Robert looked at her thoughtfully, reaching into the recesses of his memory.

"That seems an odd thought. But now that I think about it, I do believe we did, but only once if I recall. I accidentally packed one with a bit of ice and threw it at one of our playmates, whose father had business with Papa. He instantly spouted through the nose and Mama was furious. I am surprised I had forgotten the memory because I'm pretty sure my right backside has never been the same. "

Cora laughed and smiled at the memory of Robert being a willful little boy, always getting himself into hijinks around the Downton halls.

Suddenly she had an idea. She unwound her arm from Robert's and picked up a handful of snow. Robert had momentarily walked forward with out her and was turning to see where she had gone when suddenly a snowball hit him squarely in the chest.

He stood completely dumbfounded for a moment before he grew a grin and picked up a handful of snow and threw it at Cora's bent frame, still shaking with laughter. The snowball landed near her right hip and she shrieked with surprise.

"Oh Robert Crawley you're in for it!" She exclaimed and picked up a snowball in her fist. Robert attempted to throw another but she ducked behind a tree and hit him on his shoulder with her snowball. Robert realized he could do no good with his thick gloves so he hurriedly shrugged them off and stuffed them inside his pockets. He packed a snowball tight(making certain there was no ice) and threw another. This one hit Cora again as she had ducked out from behind her evergreen to throw one at that same moment. Soon it was an all out war. There was snow flying from one side of the path to the other, each side shrieking in cheerful laughter. After awhile Cora could not control her giggling and shouted her defeat. She came out with hands raised, showing that she had no more snow. Robert dropped his snowball laughing and made his way over to her, dusting his snowy red hands on his pants.

As he stood in front of her, Cora looked at his red hands.

"Robert! You silly man! You're hands are as red as fire!" She reprimanded gaily as she took his hands into her gloved ones, rubbing warmth into them.

" I couldn't fight you properly with my gloves,my dear" Robert teased.

"Well I can only hope we resolve any arguments in such a fun manner in the future" Cora replied, her eyes dancing.

Then it hit him. Cora stood before him rubbing his freezing hands, little snowflakes in her hair, and her eyes full of mirth and he couldn't help himself.

" Cora?"

"Mhmm?" She replied still focused on his numb hands.

Robert removed his hands and Cora looked up in confusion.

"Cora, I-…"

He looked into her eyes and kissed her. She leaned into his kiss and suddenly filled with courage he pulled back once more.

" I love you". He said confidently.

Immediately Cora's eyes filled with tears and her body began shaking for an entirely different reason than her laughter moments before.

"Sweetheart have I said something wrong?" Robert begged, his eyes filled with anxiousness.

Cora shook her head. She looked Robert in the eyes and kissed him. ' No, my darling, you've said everything right".

Robert smiled at her " I'm sorry I've been such a daft fool Cora. I have been meaning to tell you for months but I didn't know how. But I do Cora. I do. Very much. I love you."

Cora wiped the tears from her eyes for the second time that day, but this time for a much happier reason. She kissed him again.

" I love you too Robert".

And suddenly, Cora wasn't homesick anymore.


End file.
